Transformer mounting



Nov. 6, 1962 c. E. SLOOP 3 ,062,495

TRANSFORMER MOUNTING Filed Oct. 13, 1958 2 Sheets-Sheet 1 INVENTOR.CLIFFORD E. SLOOP ATTORNEY Nov. 6, 1962 c. E. SLOOP TRANSFORMERMOUNTING,

2 Shasta-Sheet 2 Filed Oct. 13, 1958 FIG. 4

FIG. 5

FIG. 6

INVENTOR.

P 0 min s- E R D. n|U R J M iw F U C assatas Patented Nov. 6, 19623,062,495 TRANSFORMER MOUNTING Clifford E. Sloop, 2230 th St, Columbus,Ga. Filed Oct. 13, 1953, Ser. No. 766,938 12 Claims. (Cl. 2482(l5) Thisinvention relates to a transformer mounting, and more particularlyconcerns a base for mounting current and potential instrumenttransformers used in the metering of electrical circuits from 120 to15,000 volts.

For many years the outer covering of such transformers has been of metalwith metal base plates attached thereto by screws, bolts or welding soas to provide for mounting by securing the base plates, to a foreignsupport. Permanent or detachable feet have also been associated withsuch base plates so as to give a choice of two sides from which themounting may be accomplished. In all instances, however, the effect hasbeen that of a fiat base between the transformer and its foreignsupport. Transformer mounting bases of this type have been provided withholes through the outside edges thereof to receive the required bolts orscrews for securement to the support. When necessary to rotate thetransformer 90 on its support, however, it has been found that new boltholes are needed in the support, where the transformer body length andwidth are not the same.

In recent years the outer covering for many of such transformers hasbeen formed of polymerized material, such as rubber or plastic. Baseplates have been attached to such transformers in various ways such asby wire hoops, by individual threaded expansion-type metal inserts in orunder the outer covering so as to take mounting screws from the baseplate, by having a plate with threaded holes in or under the outercovering which also takes mounting screws from the base plate, or byflange type mounting feet being anchored in or under the outer covering.

There are two major objections to the metal expansion inserts and metalplates imbedded in or under such polymerized outer covering material.First, high breakage results in that many of such inserts pull out overa period of time due to mechanical fatigue or because of rough handlingor mounting. Second, the presence of metal inserts or plates imbedded inor under the outer covering decreases the electrical breakdown ratingfrom the transformer coil to the insert or plate and from the insert orplate to the base, with the result that a great many such transformersfail to pass rigid high voltage acceptance tests or otherwise fail inuse because of such insulation defects.

Although the prior art method of securing a base to a trans-former byhoops and bands does not meet with the insulation breakdown and breakageobjections above noted, such method has not met with wide acceptance inthe industry because of the greater manufacturing expenses and fieldinstallation time involved.

Transformer mounting arrangements known to the prior art have alsosuffered from the drawback that they have not readily permitted aquarter rotation of the transformer as is often required when setting upthe transformers for metering either in delta or Y configurations toobtain proper readings, as is well understood by those skilled in theart. In most cases, reorientating a transformer on its supportingbracket has been tedious and time consuming and not readily permitted inthe inaccessible locations where such brackets must often be mounted.

The transformer base of the present invention is adapted to be mountedon the bracket shown and described in detail in my copending applicationSerial No. 766,937, filed on an even date herewith, which is of thegeneral type of bracket shown and described in my US. Patent No.2,841,772, issued July 1, 1958. Such brackets are adapted for securementto wire spool racks which may be mounted on poles, mast arms, metal andwood structures, framework on building walls, wall surfaces, and inindoor and outdoor cabinets. The working position of such transformersmay be standing vertical with base at bottom, or hanging vertical withbase at top, projecting horizontally with base at a wall, or at otherangles depending on the most convenient mounting of their foreignsupport and as required by the circuit with which they may beassociated.

One of the objects of this invention is to overcome these and many otherproblems known to the prior art by the provision of a transformermounting arrangement in which the transformer base is formed with aplurality of mounting windows for complementary registration with abracket or channel member that is adapted to pass through one of suchwindows so as to permit selective orientation and positioning of thetransformer on the bracket.

Another object of this invention is to provide a new and improvedtransformer mounting arrangement in which a transformer base is formedof the same or similar type of polymerized material as the outercovering of the transformer so that such base may be formed eitherintegrally with the transformer or separately therefrom but readilybonded thereto by adhesive.

A further object of this invention is to provide a new and improved baseattachment for metering transformers which may be readily secured byadhesive bonding to transformers of either cylindrical or rectangularconfiglllflllOl'l.

Still another object of this invention is to provide a new and improvedtransformer mounting arrangement which is simple yet rugged inconstruction, and which readily lends itself to the demands of economicmanufacture and installation.

Many of the advantages, features and objects of the invention willbecome apparent from consideration of the following specification takenin conjunction with the ac companying drawings in which like designatorsrefer to the same or similar parts throughout, and in which:

FIG. 1 is a perspective view of a cylindrical instrument transformerhaving a mounting base according to the invention formed integrallytherewith and secured to a suitable mounting bracket.

FIG. 2 is a perspective view showing a high voltage instrumenttransformer of rectangular configuration having a mounting baseaccording to the present invention formed integrally therewith.

FIG. 3 is a perspective view of a mounting base attachment according tothe present invention which may be utilized with transformers of eithercylindrical or rectangular configuration.

FIG. 4 is a perspective showing another type of mounting base accordingto the invention.

FIG. 5 is an end elevation showing the mounting base of FIG. 4 securedto a cylindrical transformer by hoops.

FIG. 6 is a side elevation of the transformer mounting arrangement shownin FIG. 5.

Referring now more particularly to the drawings, that form of theinvention shown in FIG. 1 includes a generally conventional meteringtransformer 10 of cylindrical configuration having a conductor Window 11formed coaxially therein for reception of a current carrying conductorthat functions as a one-turn primary winding. As is well understood bythose skilled in the art, a secondary winding is attached internally tosecondary terminals 12 and 13 for external connection to a suitablemeasuring device.

The outer insulation or coverage of such conventional ape-aces 0.3transformers has recently been made of plastics or polymerized material,such as Butidiene, or resin. According to the invention, such materialis not only utilized to provide an insulation or outer covering but alsoto form an enlarged mounting base of generally rectangularconfiguration, such mounting base being more particularly characterizedby rectangular passages or windows 16 and 17 therethrough disposed atright angles with respect to each other. It is to be noted that suchwindows are coplanar and in spaced parallel relation to the plane of thebottom of the mounting base, the arrangement being such that the windowsintersect centrally within the mounting base, thereby defining cornercolumns 18 between the upper and lower portions of the base.

The above described transformer having a base according to the presentinvention is adapted to be slidably positioned on a foreign support orbracket, preferably of the type described in detail in my copendingapplication Serial No. 766,937, filed on an even date herewith. Suchbracket may be more particularly characterized by a central elongatechannel body 20 having feet 21 at both ends thereof which are readilydetachable by removal of cotter pins 22 so as to permit slidablereception of transformers thereon. When utilized in such manner, thetransformer is adapted to be secured on the bracket by cotter pins orwires, as at 24. Selection of orientation of the transformer isdetermined by both the available mounting for the bracket and thecircuit being metered, so that depending on whether the circuit is in Yor delta configuration and the position of mounting of the bracketitself, it might be desirable to mount the conductor window of eachtransformer either transverse to or parallel to the length of thebracket. It will be readily apparent, then, that the mounting base ofthe present invention not only provides for selective positioning of thebase along the bracket, but, in addition, provides for selectiveorientation of the transformer with respect to the bracket so as to meetall foreseeable mounting requirements.

Referring more particularly to FIG. 2, therein is shown a generallyconventional potential type metering transformer 26 but having the outercovering thereof extending downwardly to form a base 27 having passagesor Windows 28 and 29 therethrough disposed at right angles to eachother, similar to the arrangement of FIG. 1.

FIG. 3 shows a mounting base attachment of polymerized material which isadapted to be adhesively bonded to a conventional transformer having acoating of suitable polymerized material. The top of the mounting baseis formed with a concave surface or cradle 31 for bonding to cylindricaltype transformers, and a flat bottom 32 for bonding to tranformers ofrectangular configuration. Formed through the base attachment aremounting windows or passages 34 and 35 disposed at right angles to eachother for selective reception therethrough of a mounting bracket of thetype illustrated in FIG. 1. It is to be noted that both the outercovering of the transformer and mounting base attachment are ofmaterials that adhesive will set up to permanently, such being wellknown in the art and readily available. It will, of course, also berecognized that the base attachment above described may be applied inthe transformer factory, at the utility warehouse or in the field priorto installation, such application being in negligible time and withoutthe aid of special training. As a result, inventories may be reducedboth by the manufacturer and the utility, since the decision for addingthe base attachement need not be made until the installation needs areknown rather than at the time of sale, as is highly desirable because ofthe many types of metering installations in use at the present time.

It is also of interest to note that the above described attachementaffords considerable economy in construction. Manufacturers are, for thefirst time, freed of the necessity of designing special transformers toprovide for attachment of particular types and sizes of flat bases since4 no provision need be made in the transformer body itself for attachingthe base of the present invention thereto by such mechanical fasteningmeans as screws or bolts.

Referring now particularly to FIGS. 4, 5 and 6, that form of theinvention shown therein includes a metal base of generally U-shapedconfiguration having a flat intermediate portion 37 and upturned sidewall portions 38 and 39, respectively. The upper edge of each side wallis of such curvature as to form a cradle for complementary registrationwith the peripheral wall of cylindrical transformer 41. Securement ofthe transformer body to the mounting base is provided for by hoops orbands 42 and 43 which are each adapted to pass about the body of thetransformer and to be secured to opposite ends of each side wall, thearrangement being such that ears 46 and 47, formed on each side walladjacent the terminal edge of each cradle, are apertured to receivetherethrough band tightening screws 50. Each side wall is further formerwith a window 51 having a botton terminating at the upper side of theintermediate portion 37 and a top 53 formed with a curvaturecommensurate to that of the upper cradle edge of the side wall butspaced downwardly therefrom.

The confronting windows 51 of side walls 38 and 39, respectively, are ofsuch dimension as to receive therethrough an upwardly openingchannel-like bracket 20 of the type shown in FIG. 1, for positioning ofthe mounting base with transformer attached thereto, the arrangementbeing such that the mounting base is retained on the bracket as bycotter pins 56 passing therethrough on both sides of the base.

As shown in F168. 5 and 6, the mounting base also provides forpositioning on the channel member at right angles from that positionshown in FIG. 4. For this purpose, inwardly bent spaced fingers 57 and58 are formed on each side wall, the arrangement being such that thechannel member is adapted to be retained within the general area definedby the bottom or intermediate portion of the mounting base and thefingers extending inwardly from each side wall. Each side wall is formedwith spaced apertures 6t and 61 for reception of cotter pins or wirestherethrough to secure the base to the channel member.

In utilizing the mounting base of the present invention with theknock-down bracket shown, it will be noted that after the bracket issecured in position, the intermediate channel member 20 may be releasedfrom either the upper or lower foot by pulling out cotter pins or wires24, thereby permitting transformers to he slid onto such channel member.After positioning the desired number of transformers on the channel withproper spacing and orientation, intermediate channel member 29 may againbe placed in the free foot member and the cotter pins or wires returnedto their position, thereby completing the installation. Alternatively,of course, the transformers may all be positioned on the bracket priorto mounting of the feet thereof on the spool bolt of a secondary wirerack or other support means.

From the foregoing it will be apparent that I have provided a new andimproved transformer mounting which is well adapted to fulfill theaforestated objects of the in vention. Moreover, whereas the inventionhas been described with respect to embodiments which give satisfactoryresults, it will be understood by those skilled in the art to which theinvention most nearly appertains that additional embodiments andmodifications thereof may be resorted to without departure from thespirit or scope of the invention as defined by the appended claims.

I claim:

1. in an instrument transformer, a transformer body, a mounting baseformed integrally with said body, said mounting base having a pluralityof non-circular hollow windows therethrough closed on all sides and openon its ends.

2. In an instrument transformer, a transformer body, a mounting base onsaid body, said base having first and second non-circular windowstherethrough, said first window being angularly related to said secondwindow with respect to the line of sight therethrough.

3. In an instrument transformer, a mounting base extending therefrom andformed of the same material as the outer covering of the transformer,said base portion having first and second rectangular windowstherethrough, said first window being disposed at right angles withrespect to said second window, said windows being closed on all sidesand open at their ends, said windows criss-crossing each other in thesame plane.

4. A base attachment for an instrument transformer comprising a bodyhaving a top portion of concave configuration and a bottom portionsubstantially flat, said body having between said top and bottomportions a plurality of coplanar non-circular windows extendingtherethrough spaced from the plane of said bottom portion and being inthe same plane with each other, said windows being closed on all sidesand open at their ends.

5. A base attachment for an instrument transformer comprising a bodyhaving a top portion of concave configuration and a bottom portionsubstantially fiat, said body having between said top and bottomportions first and second coplanar non-circular windows extendingtherethrough spaced from the plane of said bottom portion, said firstwindow being angularly related with respect to said second window.

6. A base attachment for an instrument transformer comprising a U-shapedmember having a base portion and a pair of side wall portions, each ofsaid side wall portions having an upper edge of equal concavity, saidside walls being further formed with a window for reception of a supportmember therethrough, each of said side walls being further formed with apair of spaced inwardly extending lugs so as t define a support memberpassage therebetween with said base portion.

7. In combination, a transformer base having a plurality of non-circularwindows therethrough angularly related with respect to the line of sighttherethrough for selectively receiving a support member, together withan elongate support member removably positioned in one of said windowsand adapted to be removably positioned into the other of said windows.

8. Apparatus as set forth in claim 7 including a pair of feet releasablysecured to said elongate support memher.

9. In combination, a transformer for metering electrical service, a baseon said transformer, said base having a pair of windows therethroughdisposed at right angles to each other with respect to line of sighttherethrough, a bracket for mounting on the spool bolt of a secondarywire rack, said bracket having an elongate central member and terminalfeet releasably secured thereto, said feet adapted to be mounted on saidspool bolt, said central member adapted for selective registration withone of said pair of windows of said base, and means for retaining saidbase in position on said central member.

10. The combination with a transformer of the type having an outersurface of a mounting base, an elongated non-circular support member,said mounting base being of generally rectangular configuration havingouter parallel surfaces and a flat bottom surface, said mounting basehaving an upper surface conforming to the shape of the outer surface ofsaid transformer, and means for securing said transformer within saidupper surface of said mounting base, there being provided a first windowextending through said mounting base, said first window being entirelywithin said base parallel to and above said bottom,

there being provided a second window through said mounting base andcoplanar with said first window, said second window being entirelywithin said base parallel to and above said bottom, said first windowand said second window being at right angles to each other, each windowbeing non-circular to receive said elongated support membertherethrough, said support member removably passing entirely through oneof said windows, said mounting base being adapted to be removed fromsaid support member and remounted thereon with said support memberprojecting entirely through the other window.

11. The combination with a transformer of the type having a cylindricalouter surface of a mounting base, an elongated support member, saidmounting base being of generally rectangular configuration having outerparallel surfaces and a flat bottom surface, said mounting base having aconcaved upper surface conforming to the cylindrical outer surface ofsaid transformer, and means for securing said transformer within saidupper surface of said mounting base, there being provided a first windowextending through said mounting base, said first window being parallelto and above said bottom, there being provided a second window throughsaid mounting base and coplanar with said first window, said secondwindow being parallel to and above said bottom, said first window andsaid second window being at right angles to each other, each windowbeing so shaped as to receive said elongated support membertherethrough, said support member removably passing entirely through oneof said windows, said mounting base being so adapted to be removed fromsaid support member and remounted thereon with said support memberprojecting entirely through the other window.

12. The combination with a transformer of the type having a cylindricalouter surface of a mounting base, an elongated rectangular supportmember, said mounting base being of generally rectangular configurationhaving outer parallel surfaces and a flat bottom surface, said mountingbase having a concaved upper surface conform ing to the cylindricalouter surface of said transformer, and means for securing saidtransformer within said upper surface of said mounting base, there beingprovided a first window extending through said mounting base, said firstwindow being parallel to and above said bottom, there being provided asecond window through said mounting base and coplanar with said firstwindow, said second window being parallel to and above said bottom, saidfirst window and said second window being at right angles to each other,each window being substantially the same cross-section as said supportmember to receive said elongated support member by one end projectingthere through, said support member removably passing entirely throughone of said windows, said mounting base being adapted to be removed fromsaid support member and remounted thereon with said support memberprojecting entirely through the other window.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS448,550 Scott Mar. 17, 1891 1,105,284 McMurtie July 28, 1914 1,783,749Roehl Dec. 2, 1930 2,050,510 Thorns Aug. 11, 1936 2,085,434 Loftis June29, 1937 2,841,772 Sloop July 1, 1958 2,849,027 Tetyak Aug. 26, 1958FOREIGN PATENTS 935,780 France Feb. 9, 1948

